


Huddled Together

by lost_spook



Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Gen, Huddling For Warmth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-08
Updated: 2013-01-08
Packaged: 2017-11-24 05:11:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/630793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_spook/pseuds/lost_spook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor, Liz and the Brigadier and a cliche - trapped in a cell and huddling together for warmth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Huddled Together

**Author's Note:**

> For Ravenskyewalker

“No,” said the Doctor, finally pulling back from the door, which he had been examining carefully. “There isn’t much even I can do with this. It’s solid wood, the hinges are on the other side and there are bolts rather than a lock. I’m afraid we’re stuck here, at least until they come back for us in the morning.”

Liz had her arms folded and her teeth gritted against the cold where she was standing in the middle of the cell. “Wonderful. If only I’d thought to bring my night things.”

“There’s another thing,” said the Brigadier. “It seems to be on the cold side.”

The Doctor turned, giving him a curious look. “Well, I don’t see how that helps us.”

Liz glared at them both. She felt that the fact that it was near freezing in here was too obvious to warrant comment. What it warranted was a blanket or two and she doubted one was going to be forthcoming.

“My point is,” the Brigadier said, “that in that case we need to take advantage of the one means we have of staying warm.” He gave Liz an apologetic, wary glance, but she nodded. Pride only went so far, especially when one was wearing a mini-skirt. Pride was for when one had a full set of winter woollies, a thick coat, and preferably was _not_ locked in a stone cell.

The Brigadier gave the floor a doubtful look, and then sat down, indicating with a motion of his hand for her to sit beside him. She hesitated, and then did so, stifling a shiver before shuffling as near to him as possible.

“Doctor,” said the Brigadier after a long pause.

He glanced down at them both. “Oh, it doesn’t worry me. Alien physiology, remember, Brigadier?”

The Brigadier frowned. “I was thinking of us mere mortals, Doctor. Miss Shaw especially –”

“Oh, so you don’t feel the cold when on duty?” snapped Liz.

He was biting back a smile, she was sure. “All I meant, Miss Shaw, was that you’re not exactly dressed for the Arctic.”

“You don’t know,” said Liz. “I could have my thermals on under here, how would you tell?” Probably, she thought belatedly, not exactly what she wanted to have said to him of all people.

The Brigadier merely raised his eyebrows and looked to the Doctor again.

“Actually, I thought I might have one last try at getting us out –”

“You’ve just said there isn’t one – and we’ve all examined the place now. The thing about cells, Doctor, is that they’re not actually designed with escape in mind.”

“I’ve frequently found otherwise,” said the Doctor, giving a sudden and charming smile.

Liz decided to resort to a stratagem that she would usually be ashamed of, and gave a visible shiver, biting her lip as she did so.

“Well, I suppose…,” said the Doctor, catching her movement, as intended. “Liz, my dear, why didn’t you say something earlier?” He shed his velvet jacket and passed it over, and she spread it over her legs, too grateful of its warmth to argue. Then he sat down on the other side of her and cast his cloak over all three of them.

They huddled together, Liz in the middle. She gave a sudden cut off laugh. “I must say, this isn’t what I had planned for this evening.”

“I don’t think I’ll put it in my report,” agreed the Brigadier.

“Hmm,” the Doctor said, staring into the distance. “Maybe if I tried the sonic screwdriver once more…?”

“No!” said the other two together.

Liz leant against him for a moment. “Sorry, Doctor, but this once you’ll have to stay put for a few hours.”

“Well,” said the Doctor. “I believe I have tried all the settings...”

Liz hid a smile. She certainly hadn’t planned for this, but when it came down to it, there were worse places to be.


End file.
